Monday, August 14, 2017

Our little granddaughter just turned 6 months old, and I had a little photo shoot with her. This is one of the darling photos I took that day with her mommy standing behind me to get this precious smile! The Scraps of Elegance June "Birds of a Feather" was a dream to work with and the blue flowers and elements accent her big blue eyes so beautifully. I have a process video tutorial to share with you showing how I created this page.

Some of the techniques I share include:

Creating a mixed media background with Distress Oxide Ink along with visual texture using the 49 and Market Scripted Square Stamp

Chipboard with layered heat embossing

How to create your own DIY glitter medium

Coloring resin elements

Adding texture with prills and glass glitter.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for Scraps of Elegance. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

I just adore how I continue to be challenged with the mixed media products in the Scraps of Elegance Kits and Add Ons each month and am so glad to share my journey with you in my video tutorials. The Scraps of Elegance Creativity Add On for the Birds of a Feather kit includes a gorgeous Prima Princess Stamp and Sweet Pastels Prima Watercolor Pencil Set. Although I am not a watercolor artist, I have to tell you that they were a dream to work with. If you've been thinking about trying one of these Prima girls with watercolor pencils, but are not sure how to approach coloring them, I have some helpful tips to help get you started. Be sure to watch my technique video tutorial where I show my process for coloring this stamped image. I also grabbed my Prima Spring and Fall Watercolor Pencils from a previous kit and share the numbers of the colors I use in the video.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for Scraps of Elegance. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

I adhered the watercolor paper to an 8 x 10" Canvas, and used Prima Water Soluble Oil Pastel Crayons from a previous kit to color in a yellow wash across the background. I then stenciled paint from this month's Color Add On around some of the edges and used 49 and Market stamps from the Elements Add On and Store to create a grungy mixed media background. I also brushed on several colors of Distress Oxide Inks and edged the canvas with Pan Pastels.

The word "Dream" seen in the full project photo was created by placing sticker letters on the watercolor paper, then coloring and stamping over them. Heat them a little with your heat tool for easy removal. Once removed, I used a fine tip marker to doodle around the letters and brushed watered down paint across them to color.

I adore these flower die cuts in the Main Kit BoBunny Noteworthy set, paired with a single Prima dimensional flower from the Flower Add On. I started out with mostly dimensional flowers, but realized that it took the focus away from the beautiful princess, so these die cut flowers ended up being a perfect complement without drawing too much attention from our girl. I've also scattered a few of the sweet butterfly die cuts around the canvas.

I snipped the gorgeous Blue Fern Studio Curling Corner Chipboard from the Elements Add on in half and covered it in three layers of embossing powder, heated between each coat. I started with completely covering it with white embossing, then with glittered Cotton Candy embossing powder that mostly covers the piece, then light sprinkles of Raspberry Sherbet from my stash. By partially covering with the second and third layers, you can see hints of all three colors.

Thursday, August 3, 2017

I have a very special card to share with you today. Our little granddaughter is only 6 months old, but I just had to pull out ScrapBerry's oh so adorable My Little Star Collection to created a First Birthday card for her. The way she's growing, that birthday will be here before I know it!

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for ScrapBerry's. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

This adorable little bunny pushing her doll stroller is fussy cut from the My Little Star Growing Up Tags/Cards page. I used 3D Zots to pop her up off the background. The sweet cluster next to her is created with ScrapBerry's Cherry Blossoms. I tucked in the darling polymer banner along with resin flowers and bits of bling from the Curls for Wedding Set.

I've added a bit of mixed media texture to the background with stenciled molding paste, bits of cheese cloth, and prills scattered around the cluster. A little dry brushed gesso softens things nicely.

This card with a number 1 candle and the birthday sentiment worked perfectly. To add a bit of bling, I placed ScrapBerry's Kid's Fun Epoxy Brads into two of the balloons and adhered a resin flower to the middle one.

Does someone special in your life have a birthday coming up (or down the road)? I hope you've been inspired to grab your ScrapBerry's products and create a one of a kind card for them.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

The hot summer weather has settled in here in Ohio, so I've created this card with a cool, beachy feel featuring ScrapBerry's beautiful Tropics Collection. With the "Time to Dream" sentiment from the Tropics Cards page, this sweet card can be used for a variety of events from graduations and birthdays, to celebrating a special accomplishment. It's always nice to have a few cards in my stash that I can grab and send when needed for one of those special occasions.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for ScrapBerry's. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

The focal point of this sweet cluster includes the beautiful ScrapBerry's Rose and Cherry Blossom flowers. I've also tucked in a Seaside Polymer Seashell and Floral Embroidery Crystal Sticker to complete the beachy summer feel.

For a light and airy look, I stamped the background with ScrapBerry's Butterflies Wings stamp, stenciled opposite corners with a flourish design, and misted with Lindy's Stamp Gang Bells of Ireland Green Starburst. When that was completely dry, I dry brushed with white gesso.

Of course no card is complete without a little bling, so I sprinkled Minnie Pearls Prills and Shaved Ice Fragments in and around the cluster.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

I'm back to share my latest ScrapBerry's project with you. The ScrapBerry's Tropics collection is so gorgeous with it's bold, summery colors. It was just perfect to adorn this sweet tropical birdhouse.

The current challenge theme at ScrapBerry's is summer.
You can find all the challenge details HERE.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for ScrapBerry's. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

I've adorned the birdhouse with tropical colored flowers including ScrapBerry's Green Curly Rose and White Cream Daisy. You know I always need at least a little grungy texture, so added Finnabair's Prima Art Stones and Mini Art Stones around the bottom of the house. I brushed them with Lindy's Stamp Gang Golden Sleigh Bells Starburst.

Here's a tip for transforming a wooden birdhouse with ScrapBerry's beautiful paper. I first created a template from white cardstock to fit the bird house, then traced it onto the patterned paper. The cut outs fit the little house perfectly.

Before adding the paper, I primed the wood surfaces with white gesso, then painted a luscious green to coordinate with the paper.

Monday, July 17, 2017

I had a photo session with our sweet little granddaughter and managed to capture her oh so sweet smile. She's 4 1/2 months old in this photo. How time flies with these little ones!! I've scrapbooked her photo here with the gorgeous Scraps of Elegance "Mix'd Media" May Kit. This gorgeous kit featuring the fabulous Blue Fern Studio Happy Accident Collection paired with their Chipboard Arrow Words was such a dream to work with. The smile arrow couldn't have been more perfect for this page. I was also able to create some wonderful textures with the DecoArt Texture Sand Paste. I hope you'll take the opportunity to view the video below to see how I put it all together.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for Scraps of Elegance. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Monday, July 3, 2017

I'm back to share a sweet summer card featuring ScrapBerry's beautiful Tropics Collection I enjoyed working with this gorgeous paper collection with these vibrant tropical colors.

There's a brand new ScrapBerry's challenge starting up with a summer theme.
You can find all the challenge details HERE.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for ScrapBerry's. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

I've included ScrapBerry's Light Pink Roses, Ivory Curly Roses, Cream & Orange Gardenia and an Ivory Cherry Blossom as well as Fairy Tale resin and polymer flowers. The polymer flower is brushed with clear gesso, then colored with Yellow and Red Stains Ink to coordinate with the paper and other flowers. I've also rubbed on copper wax to highlight the edges.

The card edges are stamped with the Fairy Tale Clear Stamp. For visual texture, I've spattered the background with white ink.

The ScrapBerry's Life's Good Flair Button makes a perfect sentiment for this cheery card. The yellow Pearl Sticker Applique from the Happy Holiday set is also rubbed with copper wax to accent.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Do you enjoy creating handcrafted flowers? I simply adore them, so couldn't resist trying out the Heartfelt Creations Petunias in the Creativity and Creativity2 Add Ons. I really appreciate that Melinda does such a great job including supplies in her kits that I will be using for years to come on my projects.

I have several hanging baskets of petunias on our front deck that I enjoy every day as I look out my kitchen window. There is one variety that is particularly appealing to me. I don't know what they are called, but they are a gorgeous fuchsia with yellow/green centers.

I used them as inspiration to color the flowers.

FTC Disclosure: I am currently working as a freelance designer for Scraps of Elegance. While I am compensated in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of these products and will not recommend something that I don’t personally use and enjoy.

The Blue Fern Studios Happy Accident paper in the May kit is fabulous! I've added stamping with the Blue Fern Studios Halftones Stamps from the Elements Add On. The sweet birthday sentiment is from the Small Classic Petunias Stamp Set. Additional grungy texture is added with Prills, chunky glass glitter, and spatters of white ink.

This sweet butterfly is from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Botanical Ephemera pack that is loaded with gorgeous floral and butterfly images (Elements Add On).

Petunias on the gift tag.

I've used the same background textures on the tag. The die cut flourish and smaller leaves are more Heartfelt Creations stamps and dies from my stash.

FTC COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

I am blessed to work in an industry I love. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am currently working as a freelance designer in some capacity for the following companies: Donna Salazar Designs, Scraps of Elegance, and ScrapBerry's. While I am compensated by these companies in product, I maintain the freedom as an independent designer to say what I truly think of their products. I will never recommend something that I don't personally use and enjoy.